Tensioning device.



W. A. FULFORD. TENSIONING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DECAL 1914.

Patented July 20, 1915.

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WILLIAM ADAM FULIFORD, 0F ELKI-IORN, WES'I VIRGINIA, ASSIGliTOR OF ONE-HALF T0 WILLIAM E. WOOD, 0F ELKHORN, WEST VIRGINIA.

'TENsIoNING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 8, 1914. Serial No. 876,058.

To all 107mm it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM ADAM FUL- ronn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Elkhorn, in the county of McDowell and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tensioning Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tensioning devices and with regard to certain more specific features thereof to wire 'stretchers or the like adapted to be used in drawing the ends of a broken strand of wire together for the purpose of splicing them or for drawing taut a slack wire while a portion of the wire is being removed and the ends joined.

It is, of course, to be understood that the mechanism hereinafter illustrated and described is capable of other uses and applications without material modification.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and practical tensioning device of the above character having few parts which will be inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

A further object is to provide a device of the above character which will be reliable and eiiicient in use in operation.

A further object is to provide a device which may be easily and conveniently operated and adapted to evenly distribute the strains exerted thereon.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and in part indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of this invention.

This inventionaccordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of parts, and in the unique relations of the members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof; all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art fully to comprehend the underlying features thereof that they may embody the same by the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred form have been annexed as a part of this disclosure, and in such drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, of which Figure 1 is a detail plan view of the complete device; Figs. 2 and 3 are views taken at right angles to each other of one of the parts.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularlyto Fig. reversible ratchet centrally mounted upon a threaded bar 6, the opposite ends of which are respectively The bar 6 is supported in two hearing or guide plates 7 or supporting plate 8. The these members 7 which slide two opposite endsyof which are provided with openings threaded to engage the right and left hand threads of the bar 6. These memopposite ends of support a guide bar 9 upon bers 10 are preferably cylindrical and each is l, 5 denotes a right and left hand threaded.

reinforced by a central brace movable members 10, the

adapted to support a pair of cable'eyes 11, 1

Figs. 2 and 3, one at each side of the threaded bar. About these cable eyes is secured a flexible cable 12 having a looselymounted clevis 13 to which issecured usually termed a come along block.

One or both ends of the threaded rod may be provided with to be engaged by a crank handle 16 in order that the threaded bar maybe rapidly rotated, as when assembling the parts prior to the stretching operation.

It is thought that the use and operation of a device of this character'is clear from the above disclosure. A brief statement, however, is substantially as follows: When, for example, it is desired to splice a broken wire, the ends of the wire are clamped in the come along blocks attached to each clevis 14:. The flexible wire cables 12 are then threaded through each clevis and secured about the cable eyes in the manner shown. These cable eyes are then mounted upon opposite sides of the threaded opening on the members 10 and the crank rotated or the ratchet actuated to draw these blocks slightly together. When the parts are assembled, and the ends of the cable drawn together as far as possible by means of the crank, the ratchet is actuated by means of the ratchet lever 17 to rotate the oppositely threaded rod and draw the members 10 toward each other along theguide rod 9. It is to be noted thatthe parts are so arranged that the strain is exerted equally in opposite directions. and in substantial alinemient with the axis of the rod 6. The ratchet mechanism which a clamp 14,

a squared end 15 adapted 1 is perhaps the most powerful form of power multiplying mech-.

anisni applicable from a commercial aspect to the present device, will easily and quickly draw the members 10 sufiiciently close together to permit a splicing of the ends of the Wire. After this has been done, the ratchet mechanism may be released or reversely operated or the crank 16 operated to separate the parts and permit a removal of the come along blocks from the wire.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides a simple and practical device of the above general character adapted to accomplish, among, others, all of the objects and advanta 'es above set forth.

Without iurther analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications Wi hout omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended Within the meaning and range of equivalency of the "following claims.

What I claim is:

i 1. In a Wire stretcher, in combination, an oppositely threaded rod, a reversible ratchet and lever mechanism associated therewith, guides at each side of said ratchet, a brace Copies of connecting said guides, a guide bar passing through said guides parallel to said threaded rod, members threaded on said rod and supported by side of said rod on each of said members, cables, each having its ends mounted on said eyes, and clamps connected With said cables adapted to exert a pull along the axis of said rod.

2. In a Wire stretcher, in combination, an oppositely threaded rod, a reversible ratchet and lever mechanism associated therewith, guides at each side of said ratchet, a brace connecting said guides, a guide bar passing through said guides parallel to said threaded rod, members threaded on said rod and supported by said bar, cable eyes at each side of said rod on each of said members. cables each having its ends mounted on said eyes, and clamps connected with said cables adapted to exert a pull along the axis of said rod, said rod having an angular end and a crank handle adapted to fit said end whereby said rod may be actuated independently of said ratchet and lever mechanism.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM ADAM FULFORD.

Witnesses:

J. H. NEWTON, D. R. VVHITTAKER.

this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1). 0.

said bar, cable eyes at each 

